Download Did You Know? - West Grange Pharmacy

Did You Know?
Last month's question: What is PharmCAS?
Answer: PharmCAS (Pharmacy College Application Service) is the online system used by
many pharmacy colleges in the United States to accept applications from potential
students. Congratulations to our two pharmacy shadows who were accepted into
pharmacy school at University of Michigan and Wayne State University!
This month's Question: What is Namzaric®?
Greetings!
Health matters to us at West Grange Pharmacy. We work hard
every day to help ensure that our valued customers enjoy
productive, healthy lives. Health Matters Monthly is an enewsletter designed to keep you in the know and up to date about
brand and generic medications, side effects, drug disposal, the
latest medical treatments, and lifestyle trends and topics that can
benefit you and your family. You'll hear directly from our pharmacists and also receive special offers
and money-saving coupons. Here's to your good health!
Your West Grange pharmacists (left to right) Manda Fernandez, Jim Giordano and Rachel Henegar
are always available to answer your questions and address your concerns.
Ask The Pharmacist
My doctor gave me a prescription for capsules to treat my cough. Doesn't
cough medicine have to come in a liquid form to work?
It is possible that your doctor prescribed you Tessalon® Perles. The capsules
contain an active ingredient, benzonatate, which acts by numbing the stretch
Rachel Heneger,
Pharm. D.
receptors in the respiratory passages and lungs, dampening their activity and
reducing the cough reflex at its source. Most common side effects include
drowsiness and headache. It is important to remember that Tessalon® Perles
and generic benzonatate cannot be crushed or chewed. This can cause numbness
or tingling of the face, mouth, throat, or tongue. If numbness occurs, do not
eat or drink until it goes away.
Cough medicine does not have to be in liquid form to be effective. In addition to benzonatate capsules,
there are tablets and capsules available without a prescription that can help quiet a cough. If you have a
cough that does not go away, discuss the condition and treatment options with your physician.
Dose of Reality
Pharmacy students at Wayne State University are partnering with
health care professionals to make a difference in Detroit. The
Community Homeless Interprofessional Program Clinic at the
Cathedral Church of St. Paul is staffed by medical, pharmacy and
social work students. They provide rudimentary medical care
for the homeless on the third Sunday of each month. The students
have a chance to practice their professional skills while patients
are offered basic health screening and medication management.
For more information and ways to help, visit Wayne State University Medical School's website
http://prognosis.med.wayne.edu/article/dmc-foundation-grants-15k-to-studentled-interdisciplinary-clinic
Pharmacy 411
A new product for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is now available with a prescription. Viberzi®
(eluxadoline) is a mu-receptor agonist which is approved to treat IBS with diarrhea. Viberzi® is only
available as a brand name product because it is new and may require prior authorization before an
insurance company will cover it. If you suffer from IBS, talk with your doctor about a treatment plan and
medication that will work for your symptoms.
For more information about IBS, visit Mayo Clinic's website http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20024578
For more information on Viberzi®, visit www.viberzi.com
An Ounce of Prevention
February
is
American
Heart
Month.
Michigan
Pharmacists
Association is encouraging patients to talk to their pharmacist about
matters of the heart through their "That's My Pharmacist" campaign.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women
in the United States. Lower your risk of heart disease by:
Maintaining a healthy body weight
Exercising daily
Eating a healthy, low-fat diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables
Limiting alcohol
Talk to West Grange pharmacists about how to prevent heart disease or answer questions about heart
medications.
For
more
http://www.michiganpharmacists.org/patients/thatsmypharmacist
information,
visit
and
http://www.michiganpharmacists.org/Portals/0/resources/thatsmypharmacist/flyers/februaryheart.pdf
Over the Counter Cures
There are many products available to treat a cough without a prescription.
Some over the counter products also offer formulations that are an
alternative to liquid. These products can bypass the taste of cough
medicine which is disagreeable to some. They are also easier to carry with
you and/or last longer than liquid formulations.
Mucinex® has a number of products available in tablets to treat coughs
including regular Mucinex® tablets (loosens chest congestion) and
Mucinex® DM tablets (quiets cough and loosens chest congestion). Both
are designed to last 12 hours. The company also carries Children's
Mucinex® Mini-Melts™ which are packets of granules with the same ingredients as other products.
Robitussin® also has product alternatives to liquid formulations. Robitusin® Maximum Strength Cough
+ Chest Congestion capsules are filled with the same ingredients found in Robitussin® Maximum
Strength DM liquid formulation. Robitussin® Long-Acting CoughGels® are capsules that contain a
cough suppressant.
Both these manufacturers offer a variety of liquid formulations. If you need help choosing a cough
preparation, ask to speak to a West Grange Pharmacist.
For more information on these two product lines and Robitussin® coupons, visit
http://www.robitussin.com/robitussin-product-line and http://www.mucinex.com/products/
Prescription for Living Well
Insulin pens are designed for use by one patient only. Never use an insulin pen that
has been used by another patient. Occasionally, blood can back up into the insulin
reservoir, which could lead to transmission of diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.
For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/PDF/Clinical-Reminderinsulin-pen.pdf
STAY CONNECTED